The present disclosure relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with a subterranean well and, in an embodiment described herein, more particularly provides an expandable casing with enhanced collapse resistance and sealing capability.
It is now common practice to expand casing downhole. However, one major problem with current expandable casing is that its collapse resistance after expansion is typically much less than desired. One reason for this low collapse resistance is that the casing must have a relatively thin wall thickness due to expansion force and pressure limitations of the expansion tool used to expand the casing.
Another problem with current expandable casings is that, after one casing is expanded within another casing, the inner casing will spring back radially more than the outer casing due to the higher strains applied to the inner casing in the expansion process. This situation means that a gap results between the inner and outer casings, making it more difficult to obtain a seal between the casings.
Therefore, it will be appreciated that advancements are needed in the art of expanding casing downhole.